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Williams concedes it trails its F1 rivals for strategy tools

Williams is trailing behind its Formula 1 rivals when it comes to live strategy tools, according to its technical director Pat Symonds

The introduction of new tyre rules and an additional compound choice in each grand prix has placed a greater emphasis on race strategy in 2016.

Symonds conceded Williams is still in a rebuilding phase and therefore does not yet have all the resources available to maximise its strategy.

"We are a team that is rebuilding still and we don't have all the tools here that I'm used to using to manage strategy and stuff," said Symonds.

"That may sound strange after two and a bit years but it's a fact.

"It takes a while to bring these things from nothing and unfortunately we've had some false starts so we are still running a little behind the curve on some of that stuff.

"Pre-race it's not a problem but to have the live strategy tools that other people are using - we're still not there."

Symonds added Williams is perhaps more conservative as a result but as an independent team, its focus must be on maximising its constructors' championship position.

"Yes, we are a little bit conservative," he said. "I'm not quite sure it's the right word, but our balance of risks might well be different to other people.

"There are some times when you really can take risks when you have very little to lose and if you're clearly at one end or the other of a pack then you can do that sort of thing.

"Some of the most enjoyable strategies I've employed are when you have been in a position when you have nothing to lose and you just go for it and they're good fun.

"So to say that we're conservative could be interpreted incorrectly.

"What we are is a team that wants to finish as high as we possibly can in the world championship and that's actually quite a sensible position."

Williams has achieved the fastest pitstop in all three races so far this season.

It is a remarkable turnaround following a host of problems last season, something Symonds admitted reflected very badly on the team.

"If you remember that was a real embarrassment last year," he said.

"We had this problem with these sticking wheels and we had to do a complete redesign of the hubs to get round it.

"But we took the opportunity to really analyse every part of it and it's really working well now.

"We put a lot of stuff in behind the scenes - we have our fitness trainer and all this sort of stuff.

"There are a lot more things going on that weren't showing because we found a problem with the cars. But now we're hitting the low 2s."

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